Centrifugal blood-separating machine for serum plants



March 24, 1931. c. E. MITCHUM 1,797,876

CENTRIFUGAL BLOOD SEPARATING MACHINE FOR SERUM PLANTS Filed Nov. 14, 1929 a szxs a 2 3/ 5 4 fig? 6 a2 Z7 .v M

23 I4 "7M4 i 75 INV ENTOR: Cecil fo wzc/rum.

A TTORNEY Patented Mar. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATE T-owner.

own. I. mcmm, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS UGAL IBLOOD-SEEARATING MACHINE FOB SERUM PLANTS Application filed ,1l'ovember 14, 1929. Serial No. 407,121.

The present invention relates to serum extracting appliances, and aims to ,provide an improved and eflicient apparatus of this character operating on the centrifugal action principle for effecting the serum separating or extracting function, when removing the serum content of the mixture placed in the machine; I

Accordingly, the invention comprises a rotary container provided with suitable filtering openings for the discharge of the-serum fluid extracted from the mixture into an outside drum or receptacle, where the serum settles and is convenientl drawnofi. in a relatively pure state free rom any particles of foreign matter of any appreciable size.

' It is also sought to provide an improved construction of this character in which the operation may be carried on in a substantially continuous manner, by interchangeability of parts, and in such a waythat the material being handled may be kept practically free from any danger of contamination. It is also sought to provide a construction which may be efliciently o erated either by hand power, or by power 'erived from a suitable motor.

With the foregoing objects in View, the in vention will now be described by reference to so the accompanying drawing, illustrating one practical form of constructiondevised for embodying the proposed improvements, after which those features and combinations deemed to be novel will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawin a The fi re shown represents avertical sectional 'ew, with parts broken away, illustrating a serum extracting machine constructed in accordance'with my invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail,

. this illustrates the improved apparatusas com rising ate lindrical receptacle. having the rum or gportion 4 fitted-Iwith a suitable cover main or 5, and the bottom of the receptacle being of circular form having in wardly and upwardly inclined portions at slightlydifierent inclines, as indicated at 6 and 7, and a central sleeve or hub portion 8, serving to form a settlin well 9 for the collection of the serum flui during the-operation of the machine as hereinafter explained. The base of this well 9 thus is formed with continuous slope outwardly to effect the proper drainage of the serumfluid when this is drawn ofi through a bottom outlet pipe 10 which is equipped with a suitable valve 11. The receptacle is supported in operative position by means of a casting providing an open framework comprising a base 12 secured by screws 14 to a base ring 15, the upper portion ofthe casting having a plurality of legs 16 formed with inclined supporting surfaces 17 for flat supporting engagement with the outer portion 6 of the bottom memher of the receptacle 4. The central portion of the supporting base is formed with an upper bearing 18 and a lower bearing 19, provided with hearing bushings 20 and 21, respectively, for the mounting ofthe vertical shaft 22 having at its lower end a thrust bearing made up of the-balls 23 retained in place by the cup element 24; secured to the bottom base of the casting member by screws 25.

The intermediate portionof the shaft 22 is provided with a collar portion 26 received within the hub portion 8 and formed with clutch teeth 27 adapted for removable clutchmg engagement with similar teeth 28 formed on the bottom face of the central portion of 0 the bottom member 29, of therotary receptacle designed to be operated by the rotation of the shaft 22. This receptacle comprises a suitably perforated drum 3O havingseparating or filtering openings 31 of appropriate size, the lower edge of the drum 30 being fitted inside the flange 3-2 of the collar'member 29, and the upper margin of said drum 30 being similarly fitted within the flange port1on 33 of the top head member 34 of said 00 receptacle. The central portion of the hottom member 29 is threaded (as indicated at 36) to the lower end of a sleeve telescoping over the upper portion of a shaft 22 and slidingly engaging an opening 37 in the top or head member 34. The upper end of the sleeve 35 is threaded for engagement with a clamping washer 38 for securing the head member 34 in place upon the drum 30, and the upper end of the shaft is-also provided with a thread 39 (of relatively higher pitch) for a wing nut 40 adapted to beturned down for serum fluid from the blood and cloths as now used in such operations. The comparatively instruments for extractin crude methods of extraction now employed rely upon the use of gauze cloths and manual the serum fluid from the blood mass and a r such operation the cloths and the fluid adhering thereto are simply thrown aside-as waste. Nevertheless, a considerable quantity of the serum fluid is contained in this material and it is the purpose of the present invention to reclaim such otherwise lost serum products. Accordingly, I do away entirely with the use of gauze for containing the serum producing materials, (though the machine may be operated to extract the serum still retained in such gauze cloths if desired), the material from which theserum is to be extracted being. placed directly in the receptacle 30, and the serum remove by the centrifugal action as produced by the rotary movement imparted to said receptacle through the medium of the shaft 22 and the drive to the pulley 42. After the material is placed in the receptacle 30 and its cover secured in place by meansof the nut 38, said receptacle is mounted 'u shaft. by threading the shaft through the sleeve 35 and ,Qcured in position for rotary movement by-means of the lock nut 40. The cover 5 is then applied to the stationary receptacle 4, and the drive started for the rotation of the shaft andsthe drum or receptacle 30. As this receptacle is rotated, the serum fluid is driven out of the whirling mass, intothe outer drum, where the fluid collects in the well 9, ready for withdrawal through theoutlet tube 10 on opening of the valve 11.

'After theioperation has been. completed with refereneeto any given contents in the receptacle-436, the wing nut 40 is removed .andthe receptacle simply withdrawn from pon the .ing receptacle.

the shaft, thereby automatically disconnecting the clutch teeth 27 and 28, and thereupon, a second receptacle, which may be prepared for operation, may be immediately applied to the shaft in place of the one removed, thus enabling the operation to be maintained substantially continuous without any other interruptions than that necessary for replacing the receptacles 30 as often as necessary. It is apparent that by this means the serum fluid present in an serum-producing material may be thoroug ly and efliciently extracted by whatever degree of centrifugalaction is necessary for completely remo the serum content from the mass placed in the receptacle. It is found that a considerable and important quantity may still be reclaimed from the product regarded as waste in the present operations employed for this extracting function. It is also apparent that the construction of the present appliance is such as to maintain the material being treated, and the resultant serum fluid extracted from such materials, practicall free from any dangerous contamination om outside sources, the sleeve 35 and parts 7.8 shielding the material being treatedfromr any contact with the shaft or driving mechanism, and they cover member 5 protecting the entire interior of the stationary drum during the operation of the machine.

It is'thus apparent that -I have devised'a practical, simple and compact machine adapted to efliciently car out the desired objects of the invention, an while I have illustrated what I now regard as the preferred form of v construction for embodying the proposed improvements, I desire to expressly reserve the right to make all such changes or modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the fcgwingfclaims' aving thus described my invention, what .I claim to be new and desire to secure by Letsaid hub portion for forming a disconnectible drive connection between said shaft and rotat- 2. A serum extracting machine comprising a base member formed with a central vertical bearing surrounded by supporting shoulders, an upright shaft journaled in said an exterior receptacle carried by said she ders, the bottom of said receptacle being inclined to form a serum-collecting well dra ning to the outer; margin thereof and also formed with a central hub portion surroundl Ill ingsaid bearing and providing an annular recess around the shaft above said bearini, a perforated rotating receptacle remova 1y sleeved upon said shaft,,and clutch means housed within said annular recess and providing a disconnectible drive connection between said shaft and the bottom of said rotatin receptacle. n witness whereof I hereunto aflix my sig-' nature.

CECIL E. MITOHUM. 

